Burn More Belly Fat

Easy lifestyle choices that will transform your life for the slimmer

Jan 30, 2012

The Lean Belly Prescription

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Travis Stork, M.D., host of The Doctors on TV, sees the devastating effects of belly fat every day in the E.R. at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville. Heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, sleep disorders, and more—all a result of people who are carrying too much weight.

The Lean Belly Prescription is his 911 response: to blast belly fat—stat! It's filled with simple strategies that will help you lose weight the same way you gained it: By making easy lifestyle choices that will transform your life—but this time, for the better. Changing your body doesn't always mean getting more mileage on your gym membership. Reap the benefits of what scientists term non-exercise aerobic thermogenesis, or "N.E.A.T."

Get Outside

People who spent at least 20 minutes a day outdoors felt they had up to 20 percent more physical and mental energy than those who stayed inside thought they did, according to scientists at the University of Rochester.

Clock in Some Cardio

It can be as beneficial as a formal workout, according to a new study in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. Just 20 minutes of playing soccer or dodgeball raised adults' heartbeats to 88 percent of their maximum and burned 160 calories, researchers found.

Ball It Up

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

"Use a Swiss ball for 20 minutes every hour you sit at your desk," says sports-performance coach Charles Staley, C.S.C.S., author of The Unnatural Athlete. The ball will not only keep you in perpetual motion, but also strengthen your core muscles, alleviating another side effect of too much sitting: back pain.

Get on Your Feet

When you talk on the phone, stand up. You won't think of it as exercise, but it can help you burn as much as 54 calories for every 20-minute conversation. An alteration of as little as 100 calories a day can start you on the road to serious weight loss.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Prevention participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.